Gas-tank-locking device



-April 27', 1926. I 1,582,627

J. s. BIDDLE GAS TANK LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 7. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Jihad/e.

F dmum w April 27 1926. 1,582,627

J. s. BIDDLE GAS TANK LOCKING DEVICE 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 7,1923 Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB S. BIDDLE, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

GAS-TANK-LOCKING DEVICE.

Application filed November lock for tanks used. for other fluids.

. The main object of the invention is to provide simple and efficientmeans to protect automobiles against the theft of gasoline whichfrequently occurs on the street and in public garages.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device for theplug or drain at the bottom of the gas tank and one for the filling plugboth being controlled by a single key so that unauthorized access to thetank may not be had and which cuts off the gas from the carbureterthereby preventing unauthorized starting of the engine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings:

s Figure 1 represents a vertical section through the filling plug of agasoline tank shown applied and with the lock constituting thisinvention in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a section through the bottom of an'automobile gas tank showingthe valve which controls the fluid outlet in elevation and the means foropening and closing the valve, parts being broken off for convenience inillustration;

- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the wheel which controlsthe opening andclosing of the valve shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the filler cap shown in Figure 1,viewed at right jangles to'the showing in Figure 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly different form ofthe invention;

7, 1923. Serial No. 673,348.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the spring supported key depressiblemember;

Fig. 7 IS a similar view of the upper end of the valve actuating rodshown in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a vertical section partly in elevai on, ofstill a different form of the invenion;

Fig.- 9 is a' plan view of the spur wheel shown in Fig. 8; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Figure 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1

to 4 a gas tank is shown at T the upper wall thereof being illustratedin Fig. 1 and its bottom in Fig. 2. A filling plug is mounted in the topwall of the tank as shown in Fig. 1 and comprises a sleeve 1 havingvert-ically spaced annular flanges 2 and 3 designed to straddle the topwall of the tank T around the opening therein in which the plug ismounted. This sleeve 1 projects above the top of the tank T and isinternally threaded on said projecting portion to receive the closurecap 5. This cap 5 has a Yale lock 6 built therein and adapted to beopened by a key 7. This lock includes bars 8 and 9 designed to enternotches in the walls of the sleeve 1 whereby the cap 5 is locked to saidsleeve. This cap 5 has an annular groove 10 on its inner face or edgethe inner wall of which is threaded for engagement with the threads ofsleeve 1 and the outer wall, which is designed to snugly fit the outerface of the projecting portion of sleeve 1, constitutes a flange 11which when the cap is screwed on rests on the flange 2 of the sleeve.

A guide 12 in which a rod 13 is threaded extends transversely across thelower portion of sleeve 1. This rod 18 is equipped with an operatingwheel 14 at its upper end located in convenient position for actuationon the removal of cap. 5. The lower end of 95 rod 13 has a ball andsocket connection 15 with a rod 16. This rod 16 extends to the bottom oftank 2 or nearly so and has a ball and socket connection shown at 17with a valve stem 18 carrying at its lower end a disk valve 19 forclosing the gas outlet pipe 20. This disk valve 19 'is beveled andadapted to seat when closed in a correspondingly shaped recess 21 formedin the bottom of the tank. The valve stem 18 is threaded in a bracket 22rising from the tank bottom and said stem is equipped at its upper endwith one member of the ball and socket joint 17 so that on the turnlngof rod 16 by means of the wheel 14 the valve 19 may be either opened orclosed as desired.

The arrangement herein shown is intended for use on all underfed carsexcept the Ford which has a gravity feed and when used in connectionwith such a feed the ball and socket connections with rod 13 and valvestem 18 are dispensed with and the rod 13 extended straight down andconnected with the valve at the bottom of the tank which controls theoutlet as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

\Vhen it is desired to lock the gas tank the cap 5 is removed and thewheel 14 turned to close valve 19. The cap 5 is then replaced and lockedas shown in Fig. 1 and the key 7 removed so that it will be impossiblefor anyone to siphon or drain gas from a car equipped with this improvedlock, or to drive the car since the gas will be cut oif from the engine.

If the device is applied to a car which obtains its gas feed fromunderneath the tank to the vacuum tank, this locking device would onlypermit the car to run the dis tance that the gas in the vacuum tank andthe carbureter would ermit. If the car is an over feed or. obtains itsfeed from the top of the tank the, device will only permit the car torun as long as there is gas in the tank, which of course is only alimited number of miles since no more gas can be put in the tank. Ears 5are provided on cap 5 to facilitate turning of the cap.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 to 7 a slightly different form of theinvention is illustrated in which the rod 13 has its upper end reducedas shown at 22 with a shoulder 23 at the base of said reduced portionand a key way or seat 24 extending longitudinally thereof while a socket25 is formed in the outer end of the rod. An annular plate 26 is mountedon the reduced end 22 of the rod and has an inwardly ofiset upstandingbar 27 carried by its inner edge which is designed to be mounted in theseat- 2-t for longitudinal sliding movement and held against turning bysaid seat. A cap plate 28 is carried by the bar 27 and has an aperture29 therein designed to register with the socket 25 when the parts areassembled. A coiled spring 30 is mounted on the rod 13 between a collar31 formed on said rod and the lower face of the ring 26 and exerts itstension to normally hold plate 28 spaced from the end of the rod as isshown clearly in Fig. 5.

The guide or spider 12 is apertured to receive the reduced end 22 of rod13* and the plate 28 carried thereby which parts are held in position toreceive the key 7 which has its end shaped to enter slot 29 and socket25 said end being shouldered at its base to limit its insertion. \Vhenthis key is entered as shown in Fig. 5 and moved downwardly intoengagement with rod 13 the plate 28 is moved with it against the tensionof the spring 30 so that after the rod has been turned and pressurereleased on the key said spring will elevate plate 28 and release thekey from the rod.

From the above description it will be seen that the key 7 may be used tounlock the cap 5 independently of the rod 13 which controls the valve 19or when desired it may be moved inwardly and the rod turnedsimultaneously with the unlocking of the cap, or the cap may be unlockedand removed and the key used afterwards for turning the rod forcontrolling the valve.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the rod 13 corresponds to the rods 13and 13 of the other figures and is designed to be connected with thevalve 19 in a manner similar to the other rods for controlling. saidvalve. This rod 13 extends upwardly through the spider 12 at one side ofthe center thereof and carries a spur gear 32 which meshes with a largergear 33 mounted to rotate in the spider 12 and which has a kerf orsocket 34 positioned to register with the key hole in cap 5 so that thekey 7 may be entered in said kerf and on the turning thereof will rotategear 33. This turning of gear '33 will through its intermeshingengagement with spur gear 32 rotate rod 13 and actuate the valve 19.

Various changes in the form, shape, proportion and other minor detailsof construction may be made without departing from the principle orsacrificing any advantages of the claimed invention.

I claim 1. In combination with a sleeve-like filling plug having meansfor fixing it in an aperture in a container, a cap having an annularperipheral groove in its edge to straddle the outer end of said sleeve,said sleeve having notches in its inner face, and a lock carried by saidcap including key controlled projectible and retractible bars to entersaid notches and lock the cap to the sleeve.

2. In combination with a filling plug having means for fixing it in anaperture in a container, a cap to close the outer end of said plug, keycontrolled means for locking said cap on said plug, a cross bar mountedin said plug below said locking means and having a central aperturetherein, a rod for connection with a valve to be controlled having areduced end fitting in the aperture of said cross bar, said rod endhaving a groove in its reduced portion extending into the body portionthereof, a ring adapted to be mounted on said reduced end and having anover the end of said rod, said disk and en inwardly ofi'set arm to belocated in said apertures in said disk and rod end against by the rodmay be'turned by said key.

I oove a disk carried by said arm fittin v the tension of the sprin onsaid rod where- 1 gr g g .Zhaving registering apertures therein,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing coiled spring mounted on saidrod and noras my own, I have hereto aflixed my signamally forcing saiddisk away from said rod ture.

end, and a key for controlling the locking means of said cap and adaptedto enter the JACOB S. BIDDLE.

